Week eight of the boys high school basketball season found Woodrow Wilson in dire straits.
Heading into a crucial game against sectional rival Oak Hill, the Flying Eagles were uncharacteristically riding a seven-game losing streak.
Add in the fact that one of Woodrow’s leading scorers would not be available for the game, head coach Ron Kidd needed a player to step up and play big against the Red Devils.
Kidd got the performance he was looking for from Landyn Wolfe.
Pouring in 20 points on the night, Wolfe made key plays on both ends of the floor at crucial times to lead Woodrow past Oak Hill 48-38.
For his efforts, the Beckley senior was named Lootpress Player of the Week. The Lootpress Player of the Week Award is sponsored by Bodyworks and The Law Offices of Brandon Steele.
“It feels nice. It’s great to get an achievement like this,” Wolfe said. “I have been working really hard and it’s nice to see it payoff.”
Through three quarters that night, the game was tied 37-37. Wolfe had 11 points, including three shots from behind the arc.
Fortunately for Beckley, Wolfe saved his best work for the final three minutes of the contest.
With the game still tied five minutes into the fourth quarter, Wolfe made the first of two big plays on defense.
A turnover by Woodrow gave Oak Hill a layup attempt on the other end. Wolfe ran down the Oak Hill player, contested the try and rebounded the miss to keep the game tied.
“I hustled after him and was really just hoping that he missed it. If he missed it I was going to get that rebound one way or another,” Wolfe said. “It was big at that point in the game.”
After Oak Hill finally broke the ice with a free-throw, Wolfe confidently drilled his fourth long ball of the contest to give Beckley a 40-38 lead with just over two minutes left in the game.
“When I have confidence, I feel like I can hit from anywhere on the court,” Wolfe said after the game. “There isn’t anything like a feeling knowing that you hit a big shot like that.”
Leading by two, Woodrow got the stop it needed and controlled the ball as the clock approached one minute to play.
To preserve the win, Woodrow again looked to Wolfe for the big plays and he delivered.
Working to run the clock down, the Flying Eagles turned the ball over which led to an Oak Hill run out and what appeared to be a sure two points to tie the game.
Wolfe tracked down the Oak Hill attacker and blocked the shot from behind.
“I couldn’t let him get that shot off. If he makes that shot, it ties the game,” Wolfe said. “That was a key bucket right there and could have really given them some momentum and changed the game. I was just trying to make sure they didn’t get the momentum.”
Down the stretch, Beckley made the defensive plays and Wolfe sealed the game at the line with six straight free throws.
“Getting the win was the main objective, but it feels really good to have been a key contributor, especially at the end with those clutch free throws,” Wolfe said. “I was proud of them team. We played good and played really hard.”
